SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Clara Planning Manager Lee Butler will take over the city of Santa Cruz’s Planning and Community Development Department at the end of July.

Butler, a Santa Cruz resident with more than 16 years of experience in public planning, has overseen “several large development projects” and introduced new community engagement approaches during his career, according to a Santa Cruz city release.

With a starting base salary of $172,224, Butler will oversee a department with an annual operating budget of about $7.2 million, with focus areas on current and advanced planning, city code enforcement and building and safety.

Prior to working as planning manager for the city of Santa Clara for about a year and a half, Butler served as Gilroy’s city development services manager for less than four years and worked for more than 11 years in planning and economic development positions for the city of San Jose, according to his Linkedin profile.

Butler holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia and has completed master’s level classes in public budgeting and management. Butler is an American Institute of Certified Planners member and a U.S. Green Building Council, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-accredited professional with specialty in building design and construction.